Abstract
The electric shock has been proposed as one of the new needling sensations in recent years. In acupuncture sensation scales, the electric shock is included by ASS and SNQS, but not SASS, MASS, and C-MMASS. Some scholars argue that the electric shock is a normal needling sensation, but some researchers do not agree with this view. This problem has not been resolved due to a lack of evidence from basic research. Literature and research point out that the electric shock is caused by inserting a needle into the nerve directly. A question of considerable scientific and practical interest is whether the electric shock should be a normal needling sensation. In this article, we review the historical documentation of the needling sensation and the process of formulating and improving acupuncture sensation scales to suggest that the electric shock may not be a normal needling sensation. Secondly, we collected and analyzed cases of nerve injury caused by acupuncture accompanied by the electric shock and why acupuncture caused the electric shock without nerve injury. It suggests that there may be a correlation between the electric shock and peripheral nerve injury, and acupuncture manipulation is an essential factor in adverse acupuncture events. Finally, we put forward that the electric shock during acupuncture is a warning sign that the peripheral nerve may be injured, rather than a normal needling sensation. In the future, we hope to have experimental studies on the mechanism of the electric shock or observational studies on the correlation between the electric shock and peripheral nerve injury to verify.
Highlights
The needling sensation refers to the subjective feeling that the recipient obtains in the acupoint after the acupuncturist inserts a needle into the acupoint or other acupuncture induction point and applies specific acupuncture techniques
By reviewing ancient Chinese medicine books, the formulation process of acupuncture sensation scale, adverse events of acupuncture, and the related literature of nerve stem stimulation therapy, our view is that the electric shock in the acupuncture process is a warning sign to indicate that the peripheral nerve may have been injured
Acupuncture manipulation is an essential factor in causing nerve injury
Summary
The needling sensation refers to the subjective feeling that the recipient obtains in the acupoint after the acupuncturist inserts a needle into the acupoint or other acupuncture induction point and applies specific acupuncture techniques. Shanghai and Sichuan Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian found in observational, experimental studies that acupuncture on nerves can produce the electric shock and proposed that the electric shock is a needling sensation [5, 6]. There is a special acupuncture treatment method called nerve trunk stimulation therapy in China, which uses the electric shock generated during the acupuncture process as the standard for Deqi. Other researchers suggested that the needle be stopped when the electric shock occurs during acupuncture to avoid nerve injury [12,13,14]. We discussed the historical literature records of needling sensation, the development process of acupuncture sensation scale, the adverse acupuncture events related to the electric shock, and nerve trunk stimulation therapy. Whether the electric shock is included in the scale needs more experimental evidence
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